Harmonica



G. RUFFINO Janv 18, 1949.

HARMONICA Filed Jan. 16, 1945 INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 18, 1949 UNITED HARMONICA Gabriel Rufiino, Los Angeles,Calif., assignor of one-half to Alfredo Magallon, Los Angeles,

Calif.

Application J anuary 16, 1945, Serial No. 573,053

8 Claims. 1

My invention relates to multiple reed musical instruments, and isdirected particularly to harmonicas. Among the objects of my inventionare: First, to provide a harmonica wherein the leather valve elementsassociated With the reeds of the conventional harmonica, are entirelyeliminated, thereby eliminating a serious source of trouble for suchleather valve elements deteri orate quickly and both reduce the tonalquality of the harmonica and the efiiciency thereoi, that is, the volumeof air required to produce et note of given intensity is increased whenthe leather valve elements leak.

Second, to provide a harmonica Which incorporates a novel easilymanipulated valve means for insuring uni-directional air flow throughthe various reeds.

Third, to provide a harmonica wherein a pair of cooperating gang valveswhich are manually actuated, are employed to select one of a group ofair passages and close the others, the harmonica being so arranged thatfour air passages may share a common mouth opening.

Fourth, to provide a harmonica which particularly designed formanufacture from molded plastic parts, with the exception of the reedsand the reed plates.

With the above and other objects in view as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying draWing in Which:

Fig. 1 is a rear view of the harmonica.

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view thereoi with portions et the harmonicabroken away and in section.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the harmonica.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the harmonicataken through 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is another enlarged transverse sectional view taken through 55 ofFig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the pivoted gang valve.

A reed block l is provided. The reed block may be conventional in form,although preferably formed of plastic instead of wood. The block isrectangular in shape and provided in its upper and lower sides with aseries of channels 2 which open toward the forward side of the block aswell as the upper and lower faces thereof. The upper and lower faces ofthe reed block are covered with reed plates 3. These are preferablysheet hrass but may be iormed of plastic. The reed plates may beconventional in form and provided with reed slots 4. A vibrating reed 5is secured by a rivet or other conventional securing device in coactingrelation with each reed slot. The reeds may be so arranged that those onthe upper reed plate are positioned for operation when the air flow isdirected into the forward ends of the upper row of channels 2 and fiowsupw-ardly and outwardly through the reed slots. The reeds on the lowerreed plate are disposed so that they function when the air fiow isupward through the reed slots and into the lower row cf channels. Ifdesired, the arrangement of the reeds may be reversed, but in any caseit is preferred that one set function when the air is flowing in onedirection, and that the other set function when the air is fiowing inthe opposite direction.

The forward end of the reed block fits into a valve body 6 in the formof a rectangular tube which embraces the forward end. of the reed block.The valve body is provided With a grid 7 which forms a series ofrectangular openings registering with the forward ends of the channels2.. A mating grid member 8 fits slidably into the forward side of thevalve body to define with the grid l a slot Which extends laterallyacross the forvvard end of the reed block and out 0ne side of the valvebody. A slide valve 9 in the form of a perforated plate is mounted insaid slot and extends from an end of the valve floody. The openings inthe grid member 8 register With the openings in the grid 1; however,each opening in the grid 8 embraces four of the openings in the grid Iand corresponding channels .2. While the grid member 8 is shown as aseparate piece, it is possible to mold it integrally, the slot for theslide valve in such case being formed by a suitable ocre strip.

The forward end of the valve body is covered by a mouthpece [0 which isprovided with a plurality of mouth openings il. Each mouth openingcommunicates with a chamber l2. Which embraces and registers With a gridopening in grid 8, that is, each mouth opening communicates through itschamber l2 with four channels 2 which may be Variously divided into anupper pair and a lower pair, or into two vertical pairs.

The chambers [2 are separated by partitions i'3 which align with andabut With the vertical partitions which separate the compartments of thegrid member 8, and these partitions coact to form bearings for a valveshait M which extends from end to end of the mouthpiece. The valve shaft14 is provided with a series of flap valve elements 15 which move in thechambers l2 be tween seats 16 to close off either the lower row or theupper row of channels 2.

In one end, the mouthpiece and the grid member 8 are provided With acommon cavity il into which the valve shaft l4 extends. Here the valveshaft is provided with a lever arm I8. A leaf spring l9 is suitablypositioned in the cavity to urge the lever arm into one extremeposition. A pin 2!) is slidably mounted in the upper Wall of valve bodyfor engagement With the lever arm !8. The pin 20 is connected to acontrol bar 21 Which extends along the upper side of the harmonica.

The slide valve 9 is provided with a series of slots 22, onecorresponding to each chamber l2 and movable to close either of thevertical pairs of channels communicating With each chamber. Theprotruding end of the slide valve 9 is provided with a knob 23 formoving the slide valve in one direction while a spring 24 suitablypositioned at the remote end of the reed blocl: urges the slide valve toits other position.

By manipulation of the slide valve 9 and the oscillating valve formed bythe valve shait H! and valve elements l5, it is possible to select anyone of the four channels 2 communicating with each chamber l2, that is,each valve has two positions and by the combination of these tvvopositions, any one of four channels may be selected. The air is blownthrough the harmonica when the oscillating valve is in one position,such as the solid line position shown in Fig. 4, and the air is drawnthrough the harmonica when the oscillating valve is in its other ordotted line position shown in Fig. 4.

The reed block 1 is enclosed in a casing 25, the forward end of Which isprovided With an opening adapted to receive the valve body 6. The casing25 defines a series of internal channels 26 which extend over and underthe reed plates in registry With the reed slots l. Upper and lower pairsof the channels 25 preferably communicate with a common opening 21located in the rear end of the casing. These series of openings 27 maybe closed or regulated in effective area by the fingers of the player,to produce muted eiects or tremolos. In addition, it is preferred toprovide a common slot traversing the openings 21 in Which is mounted aslide valve 28. The slide valve is provided with a series of ports 29Which register with the openings 2?. These ports may be graded in size,the smaller port being at the high pitch end of the harmonica, and thelarger port at the lower pitch end thereof. The slide valve 28 may beoscillated for a tremol eiect, one end thereof protruding from the endof the harmonica and provided with a knob 3l).

Many other embodiments of the invention may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A harmonica comprising: a reed block and reed assembly; a mouthpiecemeans definng air passages communicating betvveen said menthpiece andsaid assembly, said air passages divided into consecutively arrangedgroups, there being four passages in each group forming tvvo verticalcolumns and two horizontal rows; a iirst selector valve movable to openeither of said columns of each group of air passages; a second selectorvalve movable to open either of said rows of each group of air passages;said valves being located betvveen said mouthpiece and said assembly andcooperatlng to select any one of said air passages in said group andclose the remainder.

2. A harmonica comprising: a reed block and reed assembly defining airpassages having ends disposed in an upper and a lowei r0w; a mouthpiecemounted over said ends of the air passages and having openings, eachcommunicating with at least an upper and a corresponding lower passageand incorporating valve seats on their upper and lower walls; a gangvalve eXtending along said mouthpiece and including a select0r valveelement pivotally mounted in each opening to engage either one or theother of said seats thereby to close one row of passages and open theother row thereof; and an exposed handle for operating said gang valve.

3. A harmonica comprising: a pair of reed plates, each having aplurality of slots and reeds cooperating with said slots to producemusical notes; a reed block separating said plates and definingtherewith air passages communicating with said slots and With an end ofsaid reed block, at said end the passages being arranged in an upper anda lower row; a housing for said reed block and reed plates having upperand 10. er continuation passages, corresponding pairs of said passagessharing a common port, said ports being adapted for individual manualcontrol by the players fingers; a multiple ported sleeve valve for saidports t0 regulate said ports in unison; a mouthpiece mounted over thefor- Ward ends of said passages and having openings communicating withat least a corresponding pair of upper and lower passages; a gang valveextending along said mouthpiece and including a selector valve clamentpivotally mounted in each opening to close one row of passages and openthe other row thereof; and an exposed handle for operating said gangvalve.

4. A harmonica comprising: a pair of reed plates, each having aplurality of slots and reeds cooperating With said slots to producemusical notes; a reed block separatlng said plates and definingtherewlth air passages cornmuncating with said slots and With an end ofsaid reed block, at said end the passages being arranged in an upper anda lower row; a mouthpiece covering the forward end of said reed blockand having mouth openings communicating with groups of said passages; arst selector valve having a port for each mouth opening and movablelaterally to select vertically corresponding pairs of passages; and asecond selector valve including pivotally mounted valve elements in eachof said mouth openings for closng the upper or lower rovvs of passages;both of said valves being located between said mouthpiece and saidpassages and said valves coacting to select a predetermined air passagein each group and close the remainder.

5. A harmonica comprising: means defining a plurality of mouth openingsand at least a pair of air passages common to each mouth opening andarranged in upper and lower rovvs; an oscillatable gang valve includinga shaft extending across said passages between said rows thereof andindividual vans elements secured to said shaft and tiltable to close olthe upper or lower row of passages by engagement with the upper or lowersides of said mouth openings; and reeds mounted in said air passages.

6. A harmonica comprising: means defining a plurality of mouth openingsand a group of air passages leading from each of said mouth openings,arranged in upper and lower roWs; a slide valve interposed between saidmouth openings and said passages and having a valve port for each mouthopening movable laterally to select corresponding upper and lower pairsof said air passages; a tiltable gang valve including a tiltable valveelement in each mouth opening pivotable about an axis 1ocated betweensaid upper and lower rows of air passages, the extended ends of saidvalve elements engageable with the upper and and lower walls of saidmouth openings to close off alternatively the upper or lower rows ofsaid air passages; and reeds in said air passages.

7. A harmonica, comprising: a reed block having an upper and a lower rowof passages separated by a partition; a mouth piece having a series ofports each port communicating with at least one upper and lower passage;a control valve including a shaft extending along said partition and atiltable vane element in each port engageable with the upper or lowerwal1 thereof to deflect air into the lower or upper air passage.

8. A harmonica, comprising: a reed block having an upper and a lower rowof passages separated by a partition; a mouth piece having a series ofports each communicating With a pair of upper and a pair of lowerpassages; a slide RFRENCES CITED The following referenees are of recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 435,163 Weissenborn Aug. 26, 1890552,242 Essbach Dec. 31, 1895 882,575 Murphy Mar. 24, 1908 1,735,645Hostetter Nov. 12, 1929 20 2,192,983 Moore Mar. 12, 1940 2,384,758Magnus Sept. 11, 1945

